Wooden Web Stiffener Having Chord Nailing Restrictor For Wooden I-joist

ABSTRACT

A chord nailing restricting device features a chord plate combined with a wooden volume structure configured for lateral attachment to the web of a wooden I-joist. The chord plate is positioned on the bottom of the volume structure and features a nail restricting hole having a diameter that corresponds to a predetermined diameter of a chord nail as defined by wooden I-joist manufacturers. The volume structure has a chord nailing access cavity in an surrounding vicinity of the nail restricting hole. Once the device is attached to the web above the bearing rest, the nail restricting hole restricts chord nailing position and nail shaft diameter to manufacturer defined limits. Two devices may be combined by a web front bridge plate for simultaneous attachment of two opposite devices along an I-joist end.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a chord nailing restricting web stiffener for a predetermined nailing restriction to a wooden I-joist chord at an I-joist bearing rest attachment location with simultaneous buckling opposing support at the I-joist bearing rest attachment location.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

In the field of architectural constructions, loads carried by wooden or wood like I-joists along their free spanning lengths are transferred onto bearing rests of relatively small areas. In addition to the small contact areas and the resulting large force concentrations, the nailing of the I-joist bottom chord introduces a splicing risk and consequently a potentially degrading factor on the load carrying capacity of the I-joist in the vicinity of the bearing rest. In response, I-joist manufacturers provide detailed nailing specifications on how to nail the I-joist's bottom chord onto the bearing rest in order to minimize the structurally degrading effects of nails penetrating the bottom chord. Nailing specifications commonly include size and type of nails to be used and minimum chord edge nailing clearance, chord front nailing clearance and web nailing clearance. The compliance with nailing requirements may be visually verified by authorized inspectors at various stages during the construction process.

Wooden I-joists are highly engineered light weight products of wood or wood like materials laminated and otherwise compacted and bonded as is well known in the art. The resulting high mechanical strength of the chord materials provides for small chord cross sections with an unfavorable side effect of increased splicing tendency compared to bulk lumber material otherwise used in architectural constructions. In addition, the inner bottom chord areas accessible for nailing are much narrower than typical nailing access areas of bulk lumber used for construction. This again requires increased nailing precision during the attachment of I-joists compared to nailing of other conventional lumber materials.

As shown in Prior Art FIGS. 1, 2, the nailing of bottom chords 13 at I-joist 1 ends is particularly problematic where the available bearing rest width 2W may be shared with a well known rim board 4 having a thickness 4T resulting in an actual bearing interface depth BD that is only a fraction of the overall bearing width 2W. In addition, the splicing tendency of the chord increases towards the cutoff edge of the chord 13 as is well known in the art. The actual bearing interface depth BD may be further inadvertently reduced due to imprecise lengthening of the I- joist 1. Therefore, there exists a need for a device that provides for a precise chord nailing of I-joist's at their bearing rest attachment locations. In particular, there exists the need for a device that prevents the construction worker from nailing with erroneous nailing clearances XCS, XCW, XCF. The present invention addresses this need.

In praxis, construction workers commonly use nailing guns for expedited attaching and combining various bulk lumber elements such as boards and plywood as is well known in the art. The type nails loaded in nailing guns and the set nailing force are selected in accordance with the requirements of attaching such bulk lumber elements with fully immersed nail heads 82. Attachment of I-joist chords 13 to bearing rests 2 to the contrary may require smaller and differently configured nails 8 as shown in FIG. 3, 4, 6, 9. Construction workers may be tempted to avoid the reloading and resetting of the nailing guns for the sole purpose of attaching the I-joist 1 to the bearing rest 2 with correct nails 8. Instead, the bottom chord 13 may be nailed with oversized nails 3 to the bearing rest 2 with a nail gun setting for fully immersing the nail heads 32, which in combination likely cause the bottom chord 13 to splice and cracks 139 to form. The cracks 139 may only marginally extend beyond the bearing width 2W making the cracks 139 difficult to detect during a common inspection stage at a time when prior art web stiffeners 5 and a well known rim board 4 may already be assembled as is illustrated in Prior Art FIG. 2. Therefore, there exists a need for a device that prevents the use of oversized nails 8, prevents nail head immersion in the bottom chord top 131 and that provides for visual verification of correct chord nailing at an inspection stage with assembled web stiffener and rim board 4. The present invention addresses this need.

Prior art I-joists 1 are commonly configured with relatively thin web thickness 12T, which may require lateral enforcement in the vicinity of a bearing rest. Such lateral enforcement is commonly provided by a well known prior art web stiffeners 5 that are commonly blocks of wood or wood like materials nailed on both sides of the web 12 above the bearing rest 2. Such prior art web stiffeners 5 have a voluminous structure with a width 5W that may be up a recess depth 1R and a height 5H less than a vertical chord spacing 12H. The sandwiched web 12 is consequently stiffened and the buckling tendency is brought down below predetermined safety limits as is well known in the art. To keep the construction process efficient, it is desirable to keep the number of devices and/or structures attached to the I-joist 1 above the bearing rest 2 to a minimum. Therefore, there exists a need for a combined web stiffener and chord nailing restricting device. The present invention addresses also this need.

SUMMARY

An I-joist chord nailing restricting device features a chord plate combined with a volume structure configured for lateral attachment to the web of a wooden I-joist. The chord plate is positioned on the bottom of the volume structure and features a nail restricting hole having a diameter that corresponds to a predetermined diameter of a chord nail as defined by wooden I-joist manufacturers. The nail restricting hole is in a web nailing clearance from a web face of the volume structure and in a chord front nailing clearance to an I-joist front flush face of the I-joist chord nailing restricting device. The volume structure has a chord nailing access cavity in an immediate surrounding vicinity of the nail restricting hole. The chord nailing access cavity is at least open to a side opposite the web face making the nail restricting hole accessible for manual and/or gun assisted nailing while the volume structure provides buckling opposing support across the web height above the nail restricting hole. Once the device is attached to the web above the bearing rest such that the web face is contacting the web side, the nail restricting hole is accurately positioned between the web and the bottom chord side in accordance with well known requirements for web nailing clearance and chord edge nailing clearance defined by the wooden I-joist manufacturers.

The nail restricting hole may also be in a chord front nailing clearance to an I-joist end flush face of the volume structure. Once the device is attached along an end of the wooden I-joist with its I-joist end flush face being flush with the I-joist front, the nail restricting hole may also be accurately positioned in a chord front nailing clearance in accordance with clearance requirements defined by the wooden I-joist manufacturers. This may be particularly suitable at I-joist ends to be nailed to a respective bearing rest.

Around the nail restricting hole may be a centering funnel for an easy centering of a suitable nail or the nail gun at the nail restricting hole. For increased strength at the bottom of the device and around the chord nailing access cavity, the chord plate may be angularly combined with a web plate that is parallel to and recessed from the web face. The chord nailing access cavity may also be open to a side lateral to the web face such that the nail restricting hole is additionally accessible along the I-joist end flush face.

A web front bridge plate may combine two web plates in a U-profile along the vertical protrusion direction of two respective volume structures such that the two respective web faces are facing each other while forming a web gap that corresponds to the web thickness. In that embodiment, the two web plates may feature centrally placed fastener access cutouts for an unimpeded lateral attachment of the volume structures by well known fasteners such as nails or screws.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Prior Art FIG. 1 is a first top perspective view of a portion of a representative prior art I-joist destructively nailed with its end on a prior art bearing rest.

Prior Art FIG. 2 is a first bottom perspective view on the assembly of Prior Art FIG. 1 with additional prior art web stiffener and prior art rim board attached.

FIG. 3 shows a second top perspective view of a representative prior art I-joist nailed to a representative prior art bearing rest by means of a combined web stiffening and nail restricting device according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3.

FIG. AA is a cross sectional view as indicated in FIG. 4 by cross section line A-A.

FIG. 5A is the second top perspective view of the device of FIGS. 3, 4, AA.

FIG. 5B is a second bottom perspective view of the device of FIGS. 3, 4, AA.

FIG. 6 is a third top perspective view of a representative prior art I-joist nailed to a representative prior art bearing rest by means of a combined web stiffening and nail restricting device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8A is the second top perspective view of the device of FIGS. 6, 7.

FIG. 8B is a second bottom perspective view of the device of FIGS. 6, 7.

FIG. 9 is the third top perspective view of a representative prior art I-joist nailed to a representative prior art bearing rest by means of a combined web stiffening and nail restricting device according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is the third top perspective view of the device of FIG. 9 with one of the two volume structures removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to Prior Art FIGS. 1, 2, a commercially available wooden I-joist 1 has a top chord 11, a central web 12 and bottom chord 13 commonly adhesively combined by an adhesive 14 in top and bottom chord grooves 115, 135 as is well known in the art. Wooden I-joists 1 are fabricated in a number of dimensional standards including standardized web height 12H, web recess depth 1R, web thickness 12T, and chord widths and heights such as bottom chord width 13W and bottom chord height 13H. A wooden I-joist 1 in context with the present invention includes well known I-joists made of wood and/or wood like materials such as laminated wood and the like. Also in context with the present invention, the bottom chord 13 may have a top 131, sides 132, front 133 and a bottom 134 and the web 12 may have a web side 122 and a web front 123.

Prior to assembly, I-joist 1 may be cut to a predetermined length between two opposing I-joist 1 ends. In the depicted assembly example where the I-joist 1 rests with its end perpendicularly on the bearing rest 2, chord fronts such as bottom chord front 133 and web front 123 may be substantially coplanar with respect to each other and perpendicular with respect to the I-joist's 1 protrusion direction.

The I-joist 1 rests with the bottom chord bottom 134 on the bearing surface 21 defining a bearing interface having a bearing interface depth BD and a bearing interface width BW. The bearing interface width BW equals the bottom chord width 13W. The bearing interface depth BD may be a fraction of the overall surface width 2W such that a well known rim board 4 with its thickness 4T may be additionally assembled on top of the bearing surface 21. The bearing interface depth BD may be further reduced by inaccurately positioned bearing rest 2 and/or inaccurately lengthened I-joist 1.

For a given load carried by the I-joist 1, the pressure in the bearing interface increases with decreasing bearing interface depth BD. In addition, a reduced bearing interface depth BD may tempt a construction worker to nail the bottom chord 13 with an erroneous chord front nailing clearance XCF that is below a minimum defined by I-joist 1 manufacturers for keeping a well known splicing risk of the bottom chord 13 at a minimum. Besides a wrongly chosen chord front nailing clearance XCF erroneous web nailing clearance XCW or erroneous chord edge nailing clearance XCS may additionally increase a splicing risk and formation of bottom chord cracks 139 along the bottom chord 13.

Besides the risk of erroneous nail positioning, an erroneously sized and/or shaped nail 3 may be used by construction workers. Such oversized nail 3 may have a shaft diameter 3D exceeding a well known maximum chord nail diameter as defined by I-joist 1 manufacturers again to keep the chord splicing risk to a minimum. Another reason for chord splicing may be nail head 32 immersion into the bottom chord top 131 as is well known in the art.

Because of the large force concentration in the I-joist 1 in the vicinity of the bearing interface, prior art web stiffeners 5 may be laterally attached on both web sides 122 keeping the web's buckling tendency to a minimum above the bearing interface. Such prior art web stiffeners 5 may have a width 5W of up to the web recess depth 1R and a height 5H of less then web height 12H. Prior art web stiffeners 5 are commonly attached by fasteners such as nails or screws. Attached prior art web stiffeners 5 and prior art rim boards 4 may keep eventual chord cracks 139 undetected. Undetected chord cracks 139 may excessively reduce load transfer capabilities in the bearing interface from the I-joist 1 onto the bearing rest 2.

In a first embodiment of the invention depicted in FIGS. 3, 4, AA, 5A, 5B, a device 6 for restricting nailing on a wooden I-joist 1 may feature a nail restricting hole 63 in a chord plate 62 that is combined with a volume structure 60. The volume structure 60 is configured for lateral attachment to the web 12 via web fasteners such as nails and/or screws. The fasteners penetrate the volume structure 60 across the volume structure width 6W and the web 12 across the web thickness 12T as is well known in the art. A web face 69 of the volume structure 69 is configured for being forced into contact with the web side 122 by the fasteners. The chord plate 62 is positioned along the bottom of the volume structure 60, which protrudes substantially perpendicular within an overall height 6H away from the chord plate's 62 top 627. The chord plate 62 has also a bottom 628.

The chord plate 62 has a web edge 629, which may be substantially coplanar with the web face 69. The chord plate 62 may also feature a chord front flush edge 621, which may be substantially perpendicular with respect to the web face 69. The chord front flush edge 621 may be substantially perpendicular with respect to the web edge 629 in the case of the web edge 629 being coplanar with the web face 69.

The nail restricting hole 63 is in a predetermined web nailing clearance CW with respect to the web face 69 and may also be in a predetermined chord front nailing clearance CF with respect to a chord end flush face 621 or 629 or web end flush face 6521 as shown in FIG. 10. The nail restricting hole 63 may have a restricting diameter 63D such that only a suitable nail 8 having a shaft diameter 8D of up to the restricting diameter 63D may be nailed through the nail restricting hole 63. Web and chord nailing clearances CW, CF as well as restricting diameter 63D may be selected in accordance with well known chord nailing standards established by wooden I-joist 1 manufacturers.

In the device 6 according to the first embodiment and in the device 6R/6L according to a second embodiment as in FIGS. 6, 7, 8A, 8B, the chord front flush face may be a volume structure front side 692 and/or may be along chord plate front edge 621 such that in assembled position with the chord front flush face being flush with the most recessed portion of the bottom chord front 133, the nail restricting hole 63 prescribes a nailing axis 8A that conforms to predetermined chord front nailing clearance CF.

To access the nail restricting hole 63, the volume structure features a chord nailing access cavity 61 in an immediate surrounding vicinity of the nail restricting hole 63. In the first embodiment, the chord nailing access cavity 61 may be open to a side of the volume structure 60 that is opposite the web face 69 such that the nail restricting hole 63 is accessible from the side opposite the web face. A centering funnel 64 may also be provided by the chord plate 62 surrounding the nail restricting hole 63. In case of the chord plate 62 being made of sheet metal, the centering funnel 64 may be embossed into the chord plate 62 with the chord plate 62 bottom remaining planar for a snug contact with the bottom chord top 131.

Angularly combined with the chord plate 62, and 62L/62R of the second embodiment may be a web plate 65, and 65L/65R respectively along the web edge 629. The web plate 65/65R/65L may be recessed in the volume structure 60 behind and up to the web face 69 such that the web plate 65 may additionally contact the web side 122 while the volume structure 90 is pressed by the fasteners against the web side 122. The web plate may provide additional stiffness and strength to the chord plate 62 as well as the volume structure 90 that may be structurally weakened by the chord nailing access cavity 61 as may be well appreciated by anyone skilled in the art. Particularly in the second embodiment, in which the chord nailing access cavity 61 is also open to the volume structure front side 692, the web plate 65R/65L may extend across the height of the chord nailing access cavity 61 compensating for the lack of structural support of the volume structure 60 to the web 12 within the boundaries of the chord nailing access cavity 61.

In the first embodiment, the nail restricting hole 63 may preferably be symmetrically placed in between the volume structure's 60 two front sides 692 such that identical versions of the device 6 may be attached at both sides of the web 12. The overall device depth 6D may consequently be twice the predetermined chord front nailing clearance CF. The device 6 of the first embodiment may employed in chases where the bearing interface in a distance to the I-joist 1 front.

In cases where the overall device depth 6D may be selected independently of the predetermined chord front nailing clearance CF, the nail restricting hole 63 may be asymmetrically placed when viewed from the web face 69 or its opposite side as depicted in FIG. 7. To facilitate asymmetric placement of the nail restricting hole 63, the chord nailing access cavity 61 may be open also to a side lateral the web face 69 such as the volume structure front side 692. The second embodiment requires distinct left and right devices 65L and 65R but may be favorable in cases with a minimum chord nailing front clearance CF that is significantly smaller than a required bearing edge nailing clearance CB and/or required device depth 6D.

The volume structure 60 may be made of a material selected from a group consisting of wood, wood laminate or other well known wood like materials known for fabricating prior art web stiffeners 5. The volume structure 60 may feature fastener position locators 67, which may be markings, or other visually identifiable surface modifications such as a recess punched into the volume structure 60. The position locators 67 may also be holes protruding between the web face 69 and its opposite side. The position locators or holes 67 are arrayed in a fashion such that predetermined spacing remains between individual fasteners penetrating the sandwiched web 12 from oppositely attached volume structures 60.

A device 6U according to the third embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 features a web front bridge plate 652 combining two web plates 65/65L, 65R in a U-profile along the height 60H of the volume structure 60 such that two of the web faces 69 face each other while forming a web gap 65G. Both web plates 65/65R, 65L may be extended along the entire volume structure height 60H and may feature centrally placed fastener access cutouts 653L, 653R framing the fastener position locators or holes 67. The inside of the web front bridge plate 652 may operate as the web end flush face 6521 providing accurate chord front nailing clearance CF once the web end flush face 6521 is in contact with the web front 123.

The web gap 65G is predetermined in conjunction with the web thickness 12T such that the device 6U may be slid onto the web 12 via the I-joist 1 front and brought into a snug friction based connection with the web 12 prior to final attachment via the well known fasteners. This may improve the positioning and attachment of the device 6U since the device 6U may not need to be held in position during the final attachment of the volume structures 60 on both web sides 122. Chord plates 62, web plates 65/65L, 65R and web bridge plate 652 may be monolithically fabricated from sheet metal. The chord plates 62, and/or web plates 65/65L, 65R may be adhesively bonded to the volume structure(s) 90 and/or mechanically attached in a well known fashion. The third embodiment may include symmetrically or asymmetrically places nail restricting holes 63 as thought in the first and second embodiments.

The device 616R/6L/6U may be initially attached at a respective web side(s) 122 with the chord plate 62 being in a snug contact with the bottom side top 131 and the chord/web end flush face 621/6521 being brought in flush alignment with respective I-joist 1 front features such as the web front 123 or the most recessed portion of the bottom chord front 133. Following the attachment of the volume structure(s) 90, the bottom chord 13 may be nailed via the nail restricting hole 63 onto the bearing rest 2. Due to the precisely defined position and diameter 63D of the nail restricting hole 63, use of correct nails 8 with a maximum allowed shaft diameter 8D is warranted and nail head 82 immersion is avoided. Consequently, the formation of cracks 139 may be prevented or its risk brought to a minimum. Due to the chord nail access cavity 61, the correct nailing location may remain visible for inspection. In case type markings are employed on the nail heads, correct nail 8 type may also be visually verified during inspection.

Accordingly, the scope of the invention as described in the Figures and the Specification above is set forth by the following claims and their legal equivalent: 

1. A device for restricting nailing on a wooden I-joist chord, said device comprising: a. a volume structure configured for receiving and holding a web fastener across a width of said volume structure, said volume structure having: i. a web face to be contacted with a web side of said wooden I- joist; and ii. a chord nailing access cavity in an immediate surrounding vicinity of a nail restricting hole and at least open to a side opposite said web face such that said nail restricting hole is at least accessible from said side opposite to said web face; b. a chord plate combined with said volume structure and positioned at the bottom of said volume structure, said chord plate having said nail restricting hole in a web nailing clearance to said web face, said nail restricting hole having a diameter corresponding to a predetermined chord nail diameter;
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said nail restricting hole is in a chord front nailing clearance to a chord end flush face of said device.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said chord plate further comprises a centering funnel surrounding said nail restricting hole.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein a web plate is combined in an angle with said chord plate along a web edge of said chord plate, said web plate being recessed in said volume structure behind and up to said web face.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein said chord nailing access cavity is open to a volume structure front side such that said nail restricting hole is additionally accessible along said side lateral to said web face.
 6. The device of claim 4, further comprising a web front bridge plate combining two of said web plate in a U-profile along a volume structure height such that two of said web face are facing each other while forming a web gap, and wherein at least one of respective two of said web plate features a centrally placed fastener access cutout.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said volume structure is made of a material selected from a group of materials consisting of wood, wood laminate, wood like material.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said volume structure features a fastener position locator on said side opposite said web face.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein said volume structure features a web connector hole protruding between said side opposite said web face and said web face.
 10. The device of claim 1 being attached to a web of a wooden I-joist via said volume structure while said web edge is substantially coplanar with a side of said web, while said chord front flush edge is substantially flush with a bottom chord front of said I-joist, while said chord plate is in a snug contact with a bottom chord top, such that a buckling tendency of said web is reduced below a predetermined safety limit by said volume structure.
 11. A wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure configured for lateral attachment to said web via a web fastener across a width of said volume structure, said volume structure comprising: a. a chord plate combined with said volume structure and positioned at a bottom of said volume structure, said chord plate having a nail restricting hole in a web nailing clearance to a web face of said volume structure, said nail restricting hole having a diameter corresponding to a predetermined chord nail diameter; b. a chord nailing access cavity being in an immediate surrounding vicinity of said nail restricting hole and being at least open to a side opposite said web face such that said nail restricting hole is at least accessible from said side opposite to said web face.
 12. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 11, wherein said nail restricting hole is in a chord front nailing clearance to an I-joist end flush face of said volume structure.
 13. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 11, wherein said chord plate further comprises a centering funnel surrounding said nail restricting hole.
 14. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 11, wherein a web plate is combined in an angle with said chord plate along a web edge of said chord plate, said web edge being substantially coplanar with said web face and said web plate being recessed in said volume structure behind and up to said web face.
 15. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 14, wherein said chord nailing access cavity is open to a volume structure front side such that said nail restricting hole is additionally accessible along said side lateral to said web face.
 16. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 14, further comprising a web front bridge plate combining two of said web plate in a U-profile along a volume structure height such that two of said web face are facing each other while forming a web gap, and wherein at least one of respective two of said web plate features a centrally placed fastener access cutout.
 17. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 11, wherein said volume structure is made of a material selected from a group of materials including wood, wood laminate, wood like material.
 18. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 11, wherein said volume structure features a fastener position locator on said side opposite said web face.
 19. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 11, wherein said volume structure features a web fastener hole protruding between said side opposite said web face and said web face.
 20. The wooden I-joist web stiffening volume structure of claim 11 being attached to said web via said volume structure while said web face is contacting said web, while said chord front flush face is substantially flush with an end of said I-joist and while said chord plate is in a snug contact with a bottom chord top, such that a buckling tendency of said web is reduced below a predetermined safety limit by said volume structure. 